South African General election 2024- A letter or rant to the ANC from a former ANC member

Dear African National Congress (ANC)

I would make pleasant introductions however, I figured that would be meaningless to you. I am writing to express my disappointment and discontentment with the organisation. The letter I write is not a platform for other political organisations to canvas for votes. I think it’s safe to say all the political parties have had enough time to canvas for votes. This is a letter from the depth of my soul. I write this letter because I am on a quest to find a political home that is ready for change. 

Let me begin to express my journey with the ANC. The ANC was home for a very long time.

I was just a sixteen year girl when my rural mother woke me up. I was not planning to register nor was I given an option. The instructions were very clear, ‘’you need to register’’. My rural mom’s words were ‘’abantu bethu baneminyaka bengavoti’’ loosely meant that for years black people were not given a chance to vote. Then we hopped into the car and off we went to register. 

On arrival we were met by my rural father. He was so thrilled that my rural mom took me for voter registrations. Without asking me which political party I would be voting for he said ‘’manje usozo votela iANC’’ meaning now you will vote for the ANC. I did not question my rural parents, I followed their instruction and that is where it all began. 

When I enrolled for my first year in University, I took it upon myself to learn about politics and engage in political affairs. I formerly registered as an ANC member in my hometown and joined the political party. I would attend the meetings and always got updates through my big sister who was a Deputy Secretary. She would keep me informed because I took an interest in the ANC. I began investing my time reading the policies and programmes set out by the ANC. It was the ANC that contributed to my love for political affairs. I was in love and the ANC made sense.

After my membership expired, I did not renew it because University life got the better of me. However, I was still an active ANC member. I was still very much invested in the political party and attending meetings whenever I was available. The ANC was not only part of my life however, the ANC was home. A home that I loved dearly.

The transition

After University, the plan was to go back into politics full time because I returned to my hometown. I reached out to the ANC on X formerly known as Twitter to find a place. The African National Congress responded and asked me to meet the team at the Johannesburg office. I believe that was around the time the ANC  began catching fire in the media. The team’s offer came just after I received an offer of employment. I may not have accepted the voluntary role however, the love still grew. 

Undoubtedly the headlines and news don’t blink. More of your dealings were being exposed publicly. It was not easy to turn a blind eye. Everyday was a new scandal or corruption suspicions brewing about the ANC. The shame that was me when I found myself defending your dealings. I found myself catching fire on social media and being called controversial for defending your name. In my defense, you paved the way for liberation in South Africa. South Africans like myself had hope in you. I for one trusted your capabilities.

Now that you are a deceiver, I live with discontentment and disappointment. The discontentment due to the lack of following through to what you put out. The disappointment because I believed you understood the liberation assignment. I thought that you understood freedom comes with a huge responsibility. I thought you were for the people and not self-seeking interests.  Here we are today and everything is falling apart.

African National Congress members rob us daylight. You lie and cheat. I believe my greatest hurt is your lack of accountability. There is no one in the organisation that comes forward to acknowledge or take accountability. Instead you sit back and expect us to understand. You have not only hurt me but you have disappointed the many that believed in you.

The most challenging aspect about writing this letter to you is that my rural parents did not prepare me for this disappointment. This is because they themselves are very disappointed. They sold your vision to me and I bought it. Now that I am older, I think their mistake was not emphasising the importance of policy implementation when voting for a political party. I am not going to echo your mistakes because I wont finish. I need you to know that you have disappointed many.

All I have left  is manifestos to read and hope for change. 

If you didn’t catch my name, it’s Phiwe Mncwabe the storyteller, voice in Africa and global citizen.

Be sure to follow my segment this month on South Africa’s general elections.

I am not affiliated to any political party. I am affiliated to the Africans. 

Please VOTE on the 29th May 2024? 

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